Reclining chair headrest constructions



y 5, 1959 v A. M. SPOUND ETAL 2,88 92 RECLINING CHAIR HEADRESTCONSTRUCTIONS Filed Jan. 17, 1958 e Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ALBERT M.SPOUND JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY May 1959 A. M. SPOUND ETAL 2,884,992

RECLINING CHAIR HEADREST CONSTRUCTIONS 6 Shefs-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 17,1958 INVENTORS ALBERT M SPOUND BY JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY y 1959 A.MQSPOUND ET AL 2,884,992

RECLINING CHAIR HEADREST CONSTRUCTIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 1'7,1958 INVENTORS ALBERT M. SPOUND BY JOSEPH MARTIN Mf;

ATTORNEY y 1959 A. M. SPOUND ET AL 2,884,992

RECLINING CHAIR HEADREIST CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Jan. 17, 1958 eSheets-Sheet 4 FIGS BY i v ATTORN EY May 5, 1959 A. M. SPOUND ETALRECLINING CHAIR HEADREST CONSTRUCTIONS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 17,1958 INVENTO S HLBERT M. SPOUND BY JOSEPH MARTIN ATTORNEY May 5, 1959 A.M. SPOVUND ETAL 4,

RECLINING CHAIR HEADREST CONSTRUCTIONS Filed Jan. 17, 1958 i I eSheets-Sheet e 2x yr INVENTORS \g v ALBERT M. SPOUND g JOSEPH MARTINATTORNEY i United States Patent RECLINING CHAIR HEADREST CONSTRUCTIONSAlbert M. Spound, Los Angeles, Calif., and Joseph Martin, Bayside, N.Y.,said Martin assignor to said Spound Application January 17, 1958, SerialNo. 709,594

12 Claims. (Cl. 155-177) This invention relates to automatic projectingheadrests for reclining chairs, and the principal object of theinvention resides in the provision of a reclining backrest for a chairhaving a relatively movable headrest associated therewith and mechanismautomatically projecting the headrest at the top portion of the backrestof the chair as the backrest is moved to a reclining position; andincluding mechanism for moving said headrest in a forward direction froma concealed position in the backrest so as to generally align thehead-supporting surface of the backrest when the headrest is projectedin useful position.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of anautomatically movable headrest as above described and includingmechanism for controlling the operation of the headrest so that theforward and upward motion thereof occurs only during the initial portionof the motion of the backrest toward a reclining position, whereby theuser may be afforded the use of the headrest almost immediately uponstarting to lean backward to move the backrest to reclining position;and the provision of mechanism as above described wherein the reversemotion of the headrest to retracted position occurs only during thefinal portion of the motion of the backrest toward sitting position.

Other object and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isan elevational view of one side of the frame of a chair embodying a formof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in a differentrelation;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are similar views each illustrating a modification;and

Fig. 7 is a similar View illustrating a modification.

This invention relates to any type of reclining chair having anautomatic projected headrest, but for purposes of illustration, the samehas been shown applied to a conventional type of chair which comprisesupholstered side arms 10 having located between them a rigid unitcomprising in general an upholstered backrest 12 and an upholstered seat14 fixed thereto.

The backrest and seat are generally rigidly connected upholsteredportion 20 and a supporting frame 22 as shown; and mechanism is providedfor automatically projecting the headrest from a concealed positionwithin the backrest, Figs. 1 and 2, when the device is used as a chair,to an exposed projected position for use when the chair is manipulatedto place it in reclining position.

Patented May 5, 1959 This invention includes means for moving theheadrest forwardly, after it has been projected sufficiently, in orderto bring the head-supporting surface thereof generally in line with theback-supporting surface of the backrest.

Also, this invention includes special new and improved mechanism forprojecting the headrest during the initial movement of the seat andbackrest toward reclining position so that the occupant may have the useof the headrest almost at once upon leaning back to move the parts toreclining position; and conversely, the headrest stays in usefulposition until near the end of the motion of the backrest toward sittingposition.

There is a fixed bracket 24 mounted on the fixed frame, this bracketpivotally mounting a driving member 26 which is in the nature of anelongated bar extending upwardly. It is to be understood that there is abracket and driving member adjacent each side of the frame of thebackrest member, only one being shown for clarity of illustration.

At its upper end, the driving member 26 is pivotally associated as at 28with a lever 30 at one end thereof. The opposite end of the lever ispivoted as at 32 to an intermediate point on the link 34. This link ispivoted as at 36 to a fixed point on the frame of the backrest member12. Link 34 is pivoted at its opposite end as at 38 to the supportingframe 22 for the headrest.

There is another link indicated at 40 which is pivoted at one end as at42 to the member 22 but in vertically spaced relation with respect tothe pivot-point at 38; and at its other end link 40 is pivoted as at 44at a corresponding elevated fixed position on the frame of the backrest12. These links may be of any desired shape but are conveniently stampedout in the shape shown herein.

At the pivot point of driving member 26 and lever member 30, there isprovided a pin or rivet 46, this pin or rivet having a head underlyingthe edges of a cam slot which is provided in a cam plate 48. This camslot'has an arcuate portion 50, the center of which is to be found atthe pivot-point 32 when the links are in their uppermost position, withthe headrest extending upwardly and forwardly. The cam slot also has acommunicating rectilinear portion 52 and it is to be understood that thepin or rivet 46 slides in slot 50, 52 in order to accomplish the objectsof this invention.

With the seat in sitting position, the driving member 26 is at itslowermost position relative to the backrest and the pin or rivet 46 islocated in the lower portion of slot 52. Upon swinging the backresttoward the rear in order to convert the chair to a reclining position,the pin or rivet 46 moves relatively upwardly in slot 52 and of coursethis action causes lever 30 to also move bodily upwardly and this inturn causes the link 34 to move in a clockwise direction which causesthe headrest to move upwardly and forwardly within a very short motionat the initiation of the rearward motion of the backrest. It will beobserved that links 34 and 40 act as a four-bar linkage or parallelogramand maintain the headrest erect and cause it to swing on an arc of acircle from retracted to fully extended useful position. 7

However, when pin or rivet 46 reaches the lower portion of thearc-shaped cam slot, no further effect is accomplished with respect tolever 30 because it then pivots about its own pivot-point 32 relative tothe four-bar linkage, i.e. relative to link 34, and therefore the motionof the driving member 26, after pin 46 leaves the straight part 52 ofthe cam slot, is lost motion and merely allows the backrest to movefurther backwardly and downwardly without having any further effect onthe headrest.

Conversely of course, upon moving the backrest forwardly and upwardly tositting position, the pin or rivet 46 must move from the top of thecurved portion of the cam slot 50 to the bottom thereof before anyretraction of the headrest takes place so that'such retraction takesplace only at the final portion of the motion of the backrest towardsitting position.

A modification of this construction is shown in Fig. 3 wherein thedriving member 26 is connected to a link 54 having a pivot 56intermediate the ends of lever 58. Lever 58 is pivoted in fixed positionat 60 on the frame of the backrest 12 andexterids rearwardly past pivot56 to a portion having a longitudinal slot 62.

A pin ,64 is located to-relatively slide in the slot, pin 64 beingmounted intermediate the ends of link 66 of the four-bar linkage whichalso includes link 68. These links are pivoted more or less as abovedescribed with respect to links 34 and 40 and the pin or rivet 70 at theupper end of driving member 26 is located in the cam slot 72 which isessentially the same as cam slot 50, 52 above described.

The operation of this mechanism is similar to that as above describedexcept that the link 54 operates the lever 58 and lever 58 is pivoted ata fixed position rather than on link 66. Otherwise the operation issubstantially the same as that above described.

A further modification of the invention in Fig. 4

resides in the provision of a driving member 76 which is rectilinearlyslidable as in a guide 78 by means of a link 80 mounted at the end of alever 82 and operated by a link 84 in a clockwise direction when thebackrest is moved to the rear. Link 84 is mounted on a fixed bracket 86.

The driving member 76 is provided with a rectilinear slot 88communicating with a right-angle slot 90. In

this slot there is provided a pin or rivet 92 at one end of a l nk 94and another link 96 having a fixed pivot 98 on the backrest member actsas a guide for link 94.

Link 94 is connected; at its upper-end as at 100 to link 102 which isequivalent to link 34 above described, and; the bracket 22 is operatedthereby in the same manner. Link; 104 completes the four-bar linkage inthis case, links 102, and 104 having pivots at 101 and 103,respectively.

With the parts as shown, driving member 76 rises upon rotation of lever82 in a clockwise direction, as the backrest moves to the rear. The pin92 being in. the portion 90.0f-the slot, this causes link 94 and theheadrest to rise substantially, as above described. However, when thebackrest has reached its final forward position, the pin 92 is then inalignment withv slot 88.and continuedrising of driving member 76 willhave no further effect. The reverse operation istrue as before and theinitial portion of the return motion of the backrest to a sittingposition has. no eifect upon the headrest until pin 92 has relativelyascended to reach portion 90 of the slot in the driving member 76.

lfdesired, driving member 76 may be applied directly tothe link 102without the use of the intermediary link or- 9.6 and this is illustratedin Fig. wherein driving member 106; is operated as above described withrespect to driving member 76 and has a similar slot shown at 1 08 and110. This is provided witha pin 112 mounted directly; on link 114, whichin combination with link 116 formsthe four-bar linkage. Links 114 and116 have fixed pivots at 115 and 117. In this case the operation issubstantially the same as above described because when link 114, movesin a clockwise direction, in final headrest exposing position, pin 112aligns with the longitudinal portion of the slot at 108.

Another form of the invention is shown in Fig. 6 wherein driving member118 may derive'its motion in any way desired as by a link 120. Drivingmember 118 is provided with a pin 122 located in a slot 124 in a lever126 which has a fixed pivot at 128. Pin 122 also extends into cam slot130 which is arcuate and communicates with a rectilinear camslot-portion 132: in a cam plate 133. The lever 126 is provided with apin 134 in a short -slot136.in a rectilinearly movable member 138 towhich. the headrestis connected. The. link 138 is :pro-

vided with a pin 140 in a cam slot 142 which has an angular portion asindicated at 144 in another cam plate 145.

As the backrest pivots to the rear, the driving member 118 rises,carrying with it lever 126 as long as pin 122 is located in the arcuateportion of the cam slot, and this causes link 138 to rise, carrying withit the headrest. When pin reaches the portion 144 of cam slot 142, theheadrest is constrained to move forwardly, after the rise occasioned bythe portion 142 of the cam slot, and when pin 140 reaches the end ofslot 144, the headrest is in its final position and approximately atthat point pin 122 enters slot 132 and thereafter the driving member 108is provided with a lost motion which allows the backrest to continuetilting to the rear without, however, any further effecting the positionof the headrest.

In Fig. 7 there is shown a modification of a similar device but in whichthe headrest indicated at 150, when projected in reclining position ofthe chair, is also'proiected somewhat forwardly and at an inclination tothe surface, of the backrest 152. This is desirable in order to providefor a more comfortable head-supporting position of the device.

In the construction of Fig. 7, the driving member is indicated. at 154and it may be operated longitudinally relative to the backrest 152 byany means such as previously indicated. In any event, it is providedwith a pivoted link 156 at its upper end, and this link in turn ispivotally connected at 158 to the link 160 intermediate the endsthereof. Link 160 is pivoted at a fixed point onthe, backrest at 162 andatits opposite end to a headrest supporting member 164..

The other link of the parallel bar arrangement is indicated-l at 164 andit is also pivoted as at 166 to the headrest in spaced relation withrespect to link 160.

The driving member 154 and the link 156 are interpivotedby a pinor rivet168 which rides in the cam slot 170, audit will be seen that in theinitial portion of the operation, the headrest is projected upwardlyoutwardly and at a tilt and in the upper approximately one-half of thecam slot 170, the pin or rivet 168 will ride in an are about the centerof the pivot at 158 providing for the lost-motion as above describedwith respect to the other forms of the invention.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do.not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise thanas set forth in the claims, but what weclaimis:

1. A reclining chair comprising a stationary frame and a backrest unitswingably mounted thereon for disposition between a sitting position anda reclining position, a headrest movably mounted within said unit,means'projecting said headrest from said unit upon swinging motion ofthe-latter from seating toward reclining position, said means comprisinga link pivotally disposed upon said backrest'andconnected to saidheadrest, said link guiding the headrest in a generally curvilineardirection upwardly andrforwardly, a'second link, a driving memberpivoted to the latter, the second link operating the first link, andthedriving member'being pivoted to the stationary frame, thesecond linkbeing pivoted to the first link at one end inermediate theends of thelatter.

2.. A- reclining chair comprising a stationary frame and a-backrest unitswingably mounted thereon for. disposition between a sitting positionand a reclining position, a headrest movably mounted within said unit,means projecting said headrest from said unit upon swinging motion-0fthelatter from seating toward reclining position, said means comprisinga link pivotally disposed upon saidbackrest and connected to saidheadrest, said link. guidingthe-headrest in a generally curvilineardirection upwardlyand forwardly, a second link, a driving memberpivotedto the latter, the second link operating thev first link, andthedriving member being, pivoted to the.stationary frame, the second linkbeing. pivotedat one end to the first link intermediate the ends of thelatter, and to the driving member at its other end.

3. Article of furniture comprising a frame, a backrest pivotally mountedon said frame for disposition between reclining and seating positions, amovable headrest associated with said unit, a link mounting saidheadrest for extension from said backrest member to useful conditionthereof, and means operating said headrest projecting link automaticallyupon pivoting of said unit from seating position to reclining position,said means comprising a slotted driving member pivoted at one end withrelation to the frame, said slot having two connected portions at anglesto each other, a slidable element in the slot, said element beingconnected to the link intermediate the ends of the link, one portion ofthe slot being generally at right angles to the direction of motion ofthe driving member and the other portion of the slot being parallelthereto providing a lost motion connection for the link.

4. Article of furniture comprising a frame, a backrest pivotally mountedon said frame for disposition between reclining and seating positions, aheadrest associated with said unit, a member mounting said headrest onthe backrest for projection from concealment in said backrest member toan exposed useful condition, means including a lever operating saidheadrest projecting member automatically upon pivoting of said unit,from seating position to reclining position and including means movingthe headrest forwardly to align with the backrest, a driving memberpivoted with relation to the frame and connected to the leverintermediate the ends of the latter, a cam, a projection on the drivingmember engaging the cam for motion of the lever by the driving memberduring a portion only of the travel of the latter, said last-named meansincluding a second cam engaging the headrest and controlling its path ofmovement.

5. A reclining chair comprising a stationary frame and a backrest unitswingably mounted thereon for disposition between a sitting position anda reclining position, a headrest movably mounted within said unit, meansprojecting said headrest from said unit upon swinging motion of thelatter from seating toward reclining position, said means comprising alink pivotally disposed upon said backrest and connected to saidheadrest, said link guiding the headrest in a generally curvilineardirection upwardly and forwardly, a second link, a driving memberpivoted to the latter, the second link operating the first link, thedriving member being pivoted to the stationary frame, the second linkbeing pivoted at one end to the first link intermediate the ends of thefirst link and to the driving members, said links being effectivelyarranged to provide a final tilted position of the headrest relative tothe backrest in reclining position of the latter.

6. Article of furniture comprising a fixed frame, a backrest unitpivotally mounted on said frame for disposition between a recliningposition and a sitting posi tion, a headrest associated with said unit,means mounting said headrest for projection from said backrest memrestmember from concealed position within said backrest to exposed usefulcondition, means operating said headrest projecting means, saidoperating means being associated with the frame and including a drivingmem her, a cam member on the backrest unit, a connection between thedriving member and cam, and a link connecting the driving member andheadrest.

7. A reclining chair comprising a stationary frame and a backrest unitswingably mounted on the frame, a stationary bracket mounted on theframe, a link pivoted to said bracket intermediate its ends, one end ofthe link being pivotally connected to the unit, a headrest, a movableframe in the bracket unit mounting the headrest, the other end of thelink being pivotally mounted to the headrest mounting frame so that whenthe backrest unit is swung upon the frame toward reclining position, thelink is pivoted and causes the headrest frame to move relative to thebackrest to project the headrest from a concealed position within thebackrest.

8. The reclining chair of claim 7 including cam means in the backrest inposition to force the headrest and its supporting frame in a forwarddirection during the motion of the headrest frame.

9. Article of furniture comprising a frame, a backrest unit pivotallymounted on said frame for disposition between a reclining position and asitting position, a headrest associated with said unit, means includinga parallelogram type of linkage for mounting said headrest forprojection from said backrest member from concealed position within saidbackrest to exposed useful condition, operating means for automaticallyprojecting the headrest upon pivoting of said unit from sitting positionto reclining position, and means controlling the operating means toprovide for the projection of the headrest to function only during theinitial motion of the backrest from sitting position toward recliningposition, the relation of the headrest; and backrest remaining constantduring the remainder of the motion of the backrest to recliningposition.

10. The article of furniture recited in claim 9 wherein said controllingmeans includes a cam associated with the operating means and providing alost motion device during a part of the motion of the backrest.

11. The article of furniture recited in claim 9 wherein said controllingmeans includes a cam associated with the operating means and providing alost motion device during a part of the motion of the backrest, said camhaving a generally rectilinear operating portion and an arcuate portion,the arcuate portion providing the lost motion device.

12. A reclining chair comprising a stationary frame and a backrest unithaving a substantially uninterrupted body-supporting surface, said unitbeing swingably mounted on the frame for disposition between a seatingposition and a reclining position, a headrest movably mounted on saidunit, said headrest having a head supporting surface, said backrest unithaving a cavity at the rear portion thereof, said cavity receiving theheadrest in substantially concealed position therein behind thebodysupporting surface, means including a parallelogram type linkage forprojecting said headrest from said concealed position within said unitupon swinging motion of the latter from seating to reclining position,said means comprising a driving member pivotally associated with saidstationary frame and operatively connected to said linkage, meansguiding the headrest in the motion thereof from concealed position toprojected position and causing said headrest to move bodily upwardly andforwardly, positioning the headrest head with its supporting surface inclosely adjacent cooperative relation with the backrest supportingsurface and above the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS467,756 Sandburg Ian. 26, 1892 2,466,553 McDonald Apr. 5, 1949 2,843,183Luckhardt July 15, 1958 2,843,184 Lorenz July 15, 1958

